Yes, it's a shocker, but Jerry Lewis actually displays some acting ability is this first, true Martin & Lewis film.
The main problem with this film is Dean playing a freshman in college, fresh out of high school graduation. He was 34 at the time! And, if you're primarily a Dino fan, it's 20 minutes before he comes into the film. Although, those first 20 minutes which feature Jerry prominently, really belong to character actor Eddie Mayehoff in his first film role.
The plot here -- sickly nerd (Jerry) is led along by college jock (Dean) in return for nerd's father putting jock through college. Can Junior (Jerry) really become a football hero? Dean's fans may feel cheated here -- clearly secondary here (though a key role), but he also has only two old songs -- "Balling The Jack" and "I'm In The Mood For Love".
In supporting roles there are Ruth Hussey (mother), Marion Marshall as the rather odd love interest, Polly Bergen, Hugh Sanders as the coach, John McIntire as a psychiatrist, and the legendary Tom Harmon as himself.
But, now that I think it over, this is not really a Martin & Lewis film...even though they are the stars. It's really the story that's paramount (pardon the pun) here. It's a nice little film, but hardly memorable and the problem is that the film can't quite decide what it is. Is it a comedy? Well, yes, although there's an awfully lot of drama mixed in here. And the mixing of drama and comedy often doesn't quite work in a film. It makes it an interesting film, but not for the right reasons.
The main problem with this film is Dean playing a freshman in college, fresh out of high school graduation. He was 34 at the time! And, if you're primarily a Dino fan, it's 20 minutes before he comes into the film. Although, those first 20 minutes which feature Jerry prominently, really belong to character actor Eddie Mayehoff in his first film role.
The plot here -- sickly nerd (Jerry) is led along by college jock (Dean) in return for nerd's father putting jock through college. Can Junior (Jerry) really become a football hero? Dean's fans may feel cheated here -- clearly secondary here (though a key role), but he also has only two old songs -- "Balling The Jack" and "I'm In The Mood For Love".
In supporting roles there are Ruth Hussey (mother), Marion Marshall as the rather odd love interest, Polly Bergen, Hugh Sanders as the coach, John McIntire as a psychiatrist, and the legendary Tom Harmon as himself.
But, now that I think it over, this is not really a Martin & Lewis film...even though they are the stars. It's really the story that's paramount (pardon the pun) here. It's a nice little film, but hardly memorable and the problem is that the film can't quite decide what it is. Is it a comedy? Well, yes, although there's an awfully lot of drama mixed in here. And the mixing of drama and comedy often doesn't quite work in a film. It makes it an interesting film, but not for the right reasons.